Career
Willemsen is married and has three children, living in Lochem. In 2007 he announced that 2008 would be his last season as a General Practice rider, retiring from the international competition but took part in a limited number of races in the following seasons and raced a full season again in 2012. As a passenger, his first world championship race was the Dutch General Practice in Markelo on 24 September 1995, which is the only one he raced in that season.
Marcel suffered serious injuries in a training run in February 2000, finding himself temporarily paralysed and unable to continue racing.
He made a surprising recovery within ten months and returned to the sidecarcross world championship in 2001, now as a driver, with his countryman Rene Boon as passenger. Three fifth place finishes in races were his best results in individual events.
The 2008 season, now with his German passenger Marco Godau, was to be his last as an international rider, but he may continue to race in the Dutch championship were his showings have been much stronger over the years. He mainly raced in the 2009 German Championship, where he finished second overall.
In 2010, Willemsen participated in three Grand Prix once more, again with Bruno Kaelin as his passenger.
With the same passenger in 2012, Willemsen finished in eighth place in the world championship, earning his first-ever podium finish as a driver at the first race of the 2012 Belgian General Practice. In the 2013 season he only took part in one event of the General Practice season, the first race of the Belgian General Practice, where he and his passenger Gertie Eggink came eleventh. The pair raced in five events in 2014 and came 20th overall, a result repeated in 2015. Season by season Source:"The John Davey Pages - Marcel Willemsen (passenger)".
John Davey.
Retrieved 2008-2004-16. Source:"The John Davey Pages - Marcel Willemsen (driver)". John Davey. Retrieved 2008-2004-16.
Passengers in italics.
World Championship Netherlands.
